


"A Touch is All I Ask"

by MrsKohakuSato



Series: Redemption Universe [2]
Category: Robotech/Voltron (Comics), Voltron: Defender of the Universe (Devil's Due Comics), Voltron: Legendary Defender, Voltron: Lion Force (1984)
Genre: AU of an AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Major canon divergence, OCs - Freeform, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-10-17 19:21:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20626235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsKohakuSato/pseuds/MrsKohakuSato
Summary: Basically, an Au of Au wherein an accident Lotor ends up traveling through the rift only for him to met and fall in love with Allura from another reality, but because life refuses to give him a break the rift creatures destroy both that Allura and her reality along with her leaving Lotor to travel the rift for centuries trying to find his way back home. Fortunately, he ends of being saved the Princess Allura from his reality. Which makes things all the more awkward as Lotor has to force himself to differentiate between this Allura and the Allura he had loved. The plot only thickens once Allura starts to develop feelings for him as she nurses him back to health.





	1. "Discovery"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically, an Au of Au wherein an accident Lotor ends up traveling through the rift only for him to met and fall in love with Allura from another reality, but because life refuses to give him a break the rift creatures destroy both that Allura and her reality along with her leaving Lotor to travel the rift for centuries trying to find his way back home. Fortunately, he ends of being saved the Princess Allura from his reality. Which makes things all the more awkward as Lotor has to force himself to differentiate between this Allura and the Allura he had loved. The plot only thickens once Allura starts to develop feelings for him as she nurses him back to health.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I a monster for creating this? Why, yes, yes I am. 
> 
> *Almost forgot this is a totally different Universe, The Redemption Universe which is a kind of au of mine, so the character dynamics and relationships differ here. so heads up*

He had lost everything in a single fleeting moment. A breath, a heartbeat, and soon nothingness consumed him. It ate away at the flesh and the bone and pierced his dreaded, cold heart. His fingers reached for nothing, tiny cosmos, stars that have already long passed, and they bleed through his fingers. His fingers, these hands that have done nothing but bring about horrors, that only bring about destruction. Perhaps they were right, he is a curse. A blight on the world, a filthy obstruction. He felt the world around him drown, his body as heavy as lead and as weightless as a cloud. In space time is obsolete. His mind and memories fragmented, and the voices that haunt him whisper in his ears in continual repeat.

The rift is relentless, a cruel, twisted mistress. An abomination, an unknown horror and they like a siren singing sailors to their deaths upon the steep rocks sing to him too as he wanders, and he drifts to nowhere. Howling, and lulling sweet tunes that fill the silence of his travels where there is nowhere and no one, and as the presumed days go by they fill the aching silence. He‘s long tuned them out-but-

**~Lotor~** their eyes are amber-like hers. Their hair a dark silver like hers had once been. Though he had never heard her voice, he assumes that must have been what she sounded like. But, he knows that they aren’t his mother. Their image of her is picture-perfect, not a single detail missed, but he knows. He’s no fool. He knows their games he knows their lies. They hiss when he pays the cheap imitation no mind, growling, and sneering.

**~How dare you!~** they screech in union, a kaleidoscope of dissonant voices. His ears run red when the shrieking refuses to come to an end, but again he disregards them and simply keeps going, he keeps moving because he does not know when to give up. Because death is too easy, no matter how tempting it is to just collapse and sleep an endless dream. But, dreams offer him no repute, no reprieve instead they are nothing more than a reflection-a mirror world-a gateway to his own insanity. There is no peace. So, he must walk even though there is nothing.

**~ **

“That's absolutely disgusting, Lance!” Pidge grimaces, her nose wrinkles as she spat out her tongue.

"Yeah, well, try actually being there and seeing it in person" he leans into her, his shoulder, bony and sharp, cuts into her side "let me tell ya, that changes a man" 

“Just because you experienced it, doesn't mean I want to hear it” Pidge mutters into her palm "and can't you sit on your side of the ship?" she shoves him.

He brushes aside her last comment making himself comfortable “I thought we were friends, Pidge? Besides you who else do I have in this big lonely castle?" 

"Why can't you bother, Hunk for a change" the girl surfs her screens in boredom.

"I would, but he's been too busy with his new girl-friend" he emphasizes his point by making quotation marks with his fingers "to hang out anymore-I mean whatever happened to the bro-code!?" 

Pidge rolls her eyes "so, what? He can become a lonely, desperate misogynist, womanizing jerkhole?"

"I prefer the term lover man, Pidge" 

"I think you missed the entire point of that statement..nevermind-the point being is that there are other men on the ship you could socialize with" 

"I rather get stabbed in the spleen again than hang out with Keith out of my own volition" 

"I wasn't talking about, Keith." 

"Shiro's way too serious to do anything fun with. It's all Lance stop. Lance your drinking way too much. Lance you can't spike people's drinks. Shiro's awesome and all, but he doesn't have a single fun bone in his body" 

"I don't think perpetuating liver damage is something I would personally consider fun" 

"It's not about the drinks, the drinks are just secondary, where there's alcohol there's hot women, come on get with the program Pidge"

"Shiro's gay" 

"I was gonna hook him up" 

"With a dude?" She rose a dry brow. 

"Of course a dude, unless he goes both ways, I can get him both" 

"...Y'know it's a wonder why your single?"

"Is that sarcasm?" 

"What about Coran" she dodges the question " he's a guy"

"Coran's fun-until he goes overboard. Y'know like the time he nearly killed us"

"That was your own fault y'know"

"How was I supposed to know pot would drive him into a murderous rampage-" The hiss and beep of the bridge door interrupts him. Hunched and bleary-eyed, Allura wanders onboard in a complete daze, her heels clicking against the paneled walkway. Her characteristic bun hung lopsidedly off the side of her head, her ends frazzled and uncombed. Her eyes sunken with dark bruises and her favorite white jacket hangs haphazardly off her one shoulder.

Lance whistled “Boy, you look awful, Princess-or is that a new look you're aiming for” 

Allura snaps her head towards him with lethal speed, barely restraining the urge to strangle him 

“I’m far too tired to deal with your nonsense this morning, so please do shut up unless you’d like to be placed on toilet duty again” 

The threat hangs in the air for a few minutes before Lance snorts, brushing her off awhile tugging at the hem of his turtleneck sweater in a nervous bout “Y-yeah, but no thanks, Princess, I've cleaned enough toilets and vomit to last me a lifetime" 

Allura didn’t bother to comment but casts him one last warning glare before turning back to the teleduv, reaching out she taps it lightly bringing the ship's screens to life. The skies were all clear except for a bach of asteroids floating in the distance, but to her relief so far no enemy ships or anything remotely suspicious, as they travel the cosmos to Planet Greta off hidden on another less known side of the galaxy. Even so, she didn't wish to take any chances and made sure to double-check her assessment, while ignoring Pidge and Lance's continued conversation Bits and pieces dribble into the forefront of her thoughts here and there, but there's nothing she can make sense of being that the topic relates back to Earth. 

Her checks repeat nothing new-Sighing, she cuts the feed to rub her face in annoyance. Everything hurt. Her body aches in a way that's more aggravating than truly painful. But, sleep has been hard to come by lately, the moment she closes her eyes-the nightmares began again. _ Her father’s blood upon her hands, splattered upon the blue silk of her gown, the sight of his mangled corpse lying at Zarkon’s iron boots. His face darkened, indistinguishable from the other bodies that littered the marble floors- _

She clenches her fingers listlessly fearing that if she didn’t pay attention she’d find his blood on them again. Her skin burned, having spent the night trying to scrub the red away. Now, they just itch, the skin of her hands rubbed raw and dry. And yet, there's that lingering feeling of wetness that she just can't shake, despite knowing that it isn't there. Yet, she kept scratching her wrist as she stared out over the bridge watching nothing but stars pass them by.

“Lura?” she didn’t hear Pidge pace up to her. She turns in the girl's direction “you okay there? You’ve got that dead look in your eyes again?” 

“I’m fine, Pidge. Don’t worry” she wonders if her voice always sounded hoarse, or is it just her, and she’s hearing things again. Whatever the case she just shakes her head attempting to ignore it. That and the throbbing headache that pounds at the back of her skull.

“If you say so….” Pidge didn't know what else to say or do other than offer the woman her space, and awkwardly returns to her seat.

_ "What's her problem?" Lance whispers. _

_ "....I don't know. She looks sick-" _

_ "She's not going to pass out again is she because-" _

Perhaps, it’s time to give up and ask Doctor Alibhe for some sleep aid? Her nose wrinkles at the prospect, but what else can she do. She's tried everything: training until she's exhausted to the bone. Meditation only abandons her to her own traitorous thoughts which only leads to exasperation and a wish to lobotomize herself. So, no that was a no go. She's tried tea, acupuncture, oil massage. Worst-case scenario, well, partially out of desperation a chiropractor who only charged her an exuberant amount of money and a nasty crick in her neck that took weeks to go away. Trial or error aside, she can't continue like this; people will notice, people are already noticing, if it keeps going the questions will never end. Pressing a fist to her brow, she huffs-if only the night didn't dreg up past horrors-

*Ping*

*Ping* 

Her temples throb, cracking her eyes back open Allura finds herself thrown from her musings back to reality. The pinging of the teleduv continues causing her to pause and blink for a moment flicking the scanners back on.

"What?” out of bloody nowhere something pops up upon the monitors signaling a disturbance in the area. Brows tightly pinched together, she didn't see any ships-

“Enemy ship?” Lance asks in a brief moment of seriousness. Both his and Pidge's eyes dart from her to the screens above, bracing themselves for impact.

“It’s-" she squints "no” she shakes her head 

“whatever it is-it’s far too small to be a ship-it’s-oh, 

no” her heart plummets to the pit of her stomach. 

“Oh, no what?” 

“It’s another rift opening….” 

“Well, that's just flipping fantastic!” Lance barks “More rift creatures! Is it bad that I rather deal with Sendak, heck even Zarkon himself any day over dealing with those walking-talking living embodiments of nightmare fuel!” 

Allura swallows dryly. A lovely start to already dreary day-oh, stars, she's not sure how much more she can take of this insanity.

**~ **

“Maybe we’ve been blessed by the Altean space gods!” Lance cries to the heavens “because I don’t see a single thing or y’know I'm not vomiting up my own entrails”

“Not if you don’t jinx us” Keith snaps. As quickly as it had come the rift had immediately snapped shut. Yet, no creatures of the rift made it out through the small opening. No horrifying illusions or imagery, just nothing. Just dead-end silence that did little to comfort her as she stares out among the stars and the blackness of space.

In their rush, they took their respective lions on ahead with Allura placing Head Commander Hira at the helm and with the ship on high alert. When nothing assaulted them, Shiro suggested they take a look around by hand. Jetpacks loaded with full and pistols set on lethal everyone disembarked only to greeted by nothing. Allura worries her bottom lip out of nervousness, she’s only glad that she hadn’t eaten anything for breakfast or else she would have vomited in her own helmet. Holding her pistol close, she prepares herself for anything by as the minutes trickle on by, besides the cluster of asteroids, nothing bizarre happens. An hour of searching and checking and rechecking the area's clear of any potential danger.

“I’m starting to think it was a false alarm, Princess” Keith calls out to her. 

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing. Nada , zilch” Hunk tapped his scanner “besides the glitchy connection, I don’t see anything out of the ordinary” 

“Me neither” Pidge mutters “it’s all just empty space as far as the eye can see.” 

“Same here” Shiro adds, perplexed.

“Same with my end” Matt floats back to them “looked all over those asteroids over there, but like Hunk said zilch. Nada.” 

“Perhaps, something was trying to get out, but couldn’t” Hunk states with an uneasy hitch in his voice. 

It isn't unlikely, and it's probably the case, too. Though that does beg the question-if something were trying to claw its way out the rift what stopped it? Allura isn’t sure if she wants to find out.

“Hunk’s probably right” Allura agrees quietly, holstering her pistol “we should probably head back to the Lions. Oxygen's running low.” They weren't that far from the castle ship, but it's still a pretty good distance even with the lions.

"About time! This place gives me the creeps" 

"Second that-"

“...more like it was a waste of time…” everyone moves on ahead of her as she can't help but linger, taking one more glance over her shoulder she scans her surroundings. It's times like these that remind her how vast the galaxy is. Enormous and all-consuming like a sea with no bottom, no end. Left could right, and right, left. Shoving down the existential dread, she moves to turn and head back until a twinkling light catches the corner of her eye. Stopping, she swivels back to look again-this time the twinkling is hard to miss, she squints, it isn't a star, as the source of the glittering is atop an asteroid closest to her. With bated breath, she slowly, carefully maneuvers herself over to it. Its rocky texture is rough, the cold seeping through her gloves. With a grunt she heaves herself upwards, her thoughts oddly quiet as she focuses on climbing and hauling her weight until she reaches the top. Heaving enough to cloud the glass of her helmet, she stills to inhale a deep breath before she decides to lift her head up and freezes-

A massive body is collapsed upon the mountainous structure.

It-can't be-

Galra?

Hesitantly, she crawls towards him on all fours both curiosity and fear churning in her gut. Carefully, she reached over to quickly tap his shoulder to snap it away fearing a swipe of his large hand. Or a lunge. Squeezing her eyes shut she expects the worst, but when nothing came she instead hears a low, pained groan. So, low that if it weren't for her being so close she probably wouldn't have heard him. Placing a hand to calm her erratic heart, Allura steadies herself before gently extending both her hands to flip him on to his back, however, it isn't without some difficulty. He's super heavy. With a grunt, she manages and once he's on his back she's met with a rather gorgeous face, but unfortunately, one she did not recognize. Examining his body, his armor is old. Eroded with rust and dented all over with the color of it faded. His face as handsome as it is, is marred with bruises painted black and dark blue, and dried blood dribbles down his obviously split lip. Yet, strangely enough, she didn't find anything indicating his rank. No badge or medallion, no even a family crest holding his cape together. There's a satchel hung around his waist, but it wouldn't be wise to open it out here. He definitely looks the part of a high ranking galra general, but that begs the question, if he is, what is a seemingly distinguished general doing out here in the middle of an asteroid field? Did someone dump him out here?

Frantically her eyes dart around- but, she was so sure she hadn't detected a galra ship in the area-

Breathing heavily, she only finds emptiness. 

-unless-

Her eyes fall back to him-the rift. Her eyes widen as she eyed him closer now noticing the markings on his face, a telltale sign of quintessence exposure. They weren't too bad, but it isn't something that can be ignored without consequence. Frightened out of her mind, she shouts back to her team over her shoulder.

“I found something!” drawing all eyes to her. I've definitely found something; she whispers to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think? Comments, Reviews Criticisms! Let me know!


	2. "Findings"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and company haul the Stranger back to Castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for Reading!! 
> 
> This chapter's a little longer than the first one, so enjoy!

“This guy is huge!” understatement of the millennium. This man, this stranger, must be at least around 7 feet tall and weighs a bloody ton being all hard, thick muscle and equally hefty armor. Despite her altean strength and Keith’s galra it took everyone to fly him back to Blue, only for them to rinse and repeat as they had to haul him to the castle’s infirmary. Even with the aid of the hanger room’s emergency gurney, he’s still far too heavy for one person to carry.

However, that’s the least of her issues at the moment, as his sudden arrival causes a massive commotion among the rebels and the castle staff going about their day. Both morbidly curious and confused everyone wants to know what in Altea's name is going on. But, a bark from a very disgruntled Nanny has them all fleeing back to their stations.

“What in ancient’s name is going-” her hard eyes flicker to the Stranger’s unconscious body, her mouth clamping shut and her face scrunches in displeasure. Allura braces herself for a full-on scolding, but luckily, her governess held her tongue and left without a fuss to ensure that the staff isn’t lazing off on their duties in spite of the chaos. Doubtful, Allura thought, annoyed; by the time lunch comes around gossip and rumors would’ve been spread to every cranny of the ship, probably to every rebel base and colony, if she’s being generous. But, she can bet on it. Another headache down the line for her to deal with.

Yet, she'll just have to worry about it later as her patient upon moving seems to be agitated. His brows and lips twisting in agony and pitiful groans pour from his mouth as sweat billows down his temples.

"Allura!" Coran came scampering down the hall "Princess, your back! I-oh, dear" he halts eyeing the Stranger with a quiet wariness.

"-and whose this fellow?" he twirls his mustache in contemplation, inching a little closer. 

"Don't know" Matt offers, huffing "the Princess found him out in the middle of nowhere-she thinks he might've been spat out the rift." 

"The rift!" Coran gapes "that's impossible-" 

"Hey, um yeah can we like save the questions for later" Hunk butts in his tone straining, sweating profusely.

"Even with a gurney this guy weighs like a ton, and I think my arms are going numb" Pidge grits her teeth.

"Right, right" 

"Coran, can you have the nursing staff prepare the examination room, please" 

"Right on it, Princess!" He salutes and takes off down the hall.

"Here's an idea" Keith mutters through clenched teeth "can't we just have the cow tow him to the infirmary" he grunts.

"She has a name!" 

"I am not getting into an argument with you about a cow, so do everyone a favor and shut up!" 

"Straight from the O-so gracious hero's mouth everyone!" He retorts snidely "I'd clap sarcastically, but I'm afraid my hands are occupied at the moment" 

“.....And here we go again….” Matt exhales. Hunk sends Pidge a pointed glance marred with annoyance, the young tech can only shake her head and roll her eyes into the back of her skull in exasperation. 

"Oh, come on you two" Shiro chides his face falling flat “it’s way too early for this” but his pleas were dead to the wind "guys, come on…"

"Don't bother, Shiro" Pidge grumbles "you're just wasting your breath..." 

"-you know what Keith you can kiss my-"

**"Enough!"** Allura barks her voice echoing off the walls, causing both men to freeze "if you two blockheads don't knock it off I will freeze your lips shut until they fall off your stupid faces! Now, shut it and help me get this man to the infirmary!" She hisses. Their egos wilt under her cold, boring stare. 

Swallowing, they nod meekly in her direction "Yes, Ma'am" they murmur in unison. Regardless of their cooled fury, both men cast each other a poisonous glance before readjusting their grip on the gurney.

"Thank you." she spat dryly. The last thing she needs is in their petty squabbling they drop her new charge onto the floor. She had no idea what kind of shape he's in and didn't need these two buffoons making an already tense situation worse. If he is a high-ranking warlord and they accidentally kill him because of ineptitude, she could only imagine how lethal the ramifications might be.

~

It took another 30 minutes to haul him to the examination room. Thankfully, Keith and Lance kept to themselves to lick their own wounds and outright refuse to meet her line of sight, or one another's for the matter. She dislikes the tense air, but better them quiet than wasting time bickering with each other.

“Took you long enough” Fi taps her fingers against her clipboard, the lavender paint of her nails immaculate underneath the bright lighting of the exam room "the nursing staff has everything you need prepared. Although" a lilac brow arches, her head tilting downwards to eye their new guest with a dull glance.

"Nevermind" she sighs, placing a hand on her hip.

"Fi." 

"I didn't say anything" 

"Ah-huh" she chunters under her breath. Fi didn't need to say anything to make her point; Allura knew how the woman felt about the galra. Her cool yet taunt facade only emphasized her distaste for the situation. However, her gaze never returns to the stranger as her eyes kept on the Princess.

"In any case, Allura, you should probably inform Head Commander Hira of-this" she gestures with a wave of her clipboard.

Oh, right….

"I will. Later" 

Fi simply sighs "your funeral then" she mumbles.

"Yeah, yeah" she turns her attention back to her patient "alright, let's get him on the table" she commands the others. They maneuver him through the door, huffing and panting, careful not to clip any part of his body against the threshold.

"We can use a little help here…." Lance grouses in Fi's direction, the woman only crosses her arms around her waist and moves out their way.

"What's the matter lover man? Can't handle the weight" 

A vein pops alongside his forehead "I can handle the weight!" 

"Lance…" Allura growls.

"Dude, you're making us wobble this guy" 

"If that's the case you could carry this man yourself, hm" 

"You really just love sucking the life out of everything, witch, tell me how many gallons of children's tears did you drink to be this refreshed this morning?" Of course, Lance decides, no has to push it because he somehow feels the need to make a comment about everything anything.

Fi's face hardens but only for a minute "Well, aren't you just fine and dandy this morning as well, lover man? Tell me how's that dry spell coming along?" A smirk curls her lips upon seeing his flushing, sputtering face “I mean we all know women just can’t help themselves around such a stud like you? OR” she taps her lilac lips “am I wrong?” 

"I'll have you know, wench, I have dates lined up for the whole week! So suck on that!" 

"Lance, shut up" Pidge smacks his shoulder. 

“OW!”

"Knock it off the both of you" Allura grumbles "or at least can't you guys wait until we get him on top the table first before biting each others heads off." 

"Yeah, yeah" 

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, I seem to have lost sight of myself.” Fi curtses“I’ll go and retrieve fresh clothing for the patient and prepare him a room.” 

“Thank you, Fi” 

“No need for thanks, I am, but your humble servant” 

“Oh!” Allura stops her just before she strides out the room “Summon, Lau for me as well. I need her assistance” 

“As you wish” she bows again before pivoting on her heel.

"I can't stand that woman…" Lance gripes. Pidge just sighs.

“Dude, you started it…” 

“Yeah, well-” 

“Can we please put this guy on the table!?” Keith barks “Now. Today. My arms are about to fall off!”

Speaking of headaches…. 

It took a lot of awkward stirring, a lot more shouting before the Stranger’s fully and finally placed on the table. His groans of pain subside partially due to the fact that everyone isn’t carelessly swinging his unconscious body around.

“Boy, all that haulings got me starving” 

“You had two helpings for breakfast” 

“You ate just as much as I did, Lance!” 

“I’m not the one with the gut….” 

“At least I have a girlfriend…” 

“Low blow dude, low blow” 

“I thought you had piles of girls lined up literally thirsting for your body?” Pidge asks with an arch brow., her voice low and mocking. 

"Y'know this isn't how I'd imagine I'd spend my morning" Matt sighs leaning against the wall in exhaustion.

"I think I have a crick in my back" Shiro mutters, massaging his neck.

“You’re way too young to be having back problems, Takashi” Matt heaves.

"-all I know is that I never want to carry another galra ever again, he’s got to be at least 3,000 thousand pounds, yeesh ” Hunk wipes his forehead. 

"Speaking of which-" Lance starts "if this guy is some uppity, pompous rich warlord, like Allura said, do you think he'll compensate us for saving his life?" 

"Way to keep it, classy, Lance" Keith scowls at him.

"Look I'm just saying we can do with some new perks-" 

"Alright, out." Allura snaps her fingers, gesturing towards the door "out all of you I have work to do and I can't do it with you guys in the way.” 

“I’m going to take a bath…” Matt stumbles out the room.

“All of yo-" the hiss of the door cuts her off and much to her annoyance the last person she wants to see comes drifting in with his trusty data-pad in hand with the look of utter delight written in his angular face.

Doctor Alibhe smiles, ear to ear "Princess" he nods. She squints at him.

"Ah, good morning, Paladins." The atmosphere darkens and the temperature of the room slowly chills as shivers run up everyone's spines. Keith visibly sweats up a storm and Shiro slowly turns as white as the tuff of hair that sat upon his head.

"Oh, Kogane. Shirogane" his voice is deep. Smooth, polite, but his tone elicits no warmth, just cold dread. The silence before the storm. Hunk's teeth chatters and Pidge’s spine curls, Lance tries to find shelter behind Shiro’s massive frame to avoid the Doctor’s line of sight. If it were possible, it seems that his smile grew wider, his teeth sparkling, startling against the backdrop of his dark skin. 

"My favorite patients"

"Actually" he gazes back down to his pad, pressing a curled fist against his lips "you two have been past due for a checkup-" Keith bolts, shoving himself right pass the doctor in a mad frenzy, while Shiro tries to skid away as calm as possible leaving Lance unguarded.

“Look at the time.” he grins awkwardly, the smile not quite reaching his eyes as his teeth clench together “Got things to do and-um-things to do” he slid away doing everything in his power not to brush against Alibhe on the way out before making a run for it. Allura never saw the former-gladiator run so fast.

"Yeah, I um got things to do. Date with Shay and all. Bye" Hunk took off along with Pidge and Lance following close behind. Alihbe watches them all go his expression never changing.

"They're in a rush," he says after a moment of silence.

"...Gee, I wonder why?" she whispers dryly. 

“Hm, what was that?” 

“Nothing-nevermind, what exactly are you doing here? You're supposed to be quarantining the Phos Colony” 

“Oh, yes. That’s why I'm here. The epidemic has been contained and neuralized and the colony immunized. My work there is done, the doctors of Phos should be able to handle what’s left without extra aid.” 

“Oh.” 

“I placed the report in your study for review” 

“O-oh, well good work than” creepy or not Alibhe is more than efficient in his work.

“Who’s this fellow?” Allura instinctively looks over her shoulder back at her masked patient. 

“A new guest.” she snaps her head back around “and I’m treating him, so keep you slimy, shady hands off him,” she orders with a stringent glare.

“I was merely asking a question, nothing more” 

“Yeah, right” she whispers walking over to the sink “but, the least you can do since your back is take some samples from him back to the lab. I need to make sure he isn’t carrying anything, we don’t need an epidemic on our hands” 

“As you wish” he dips his head. After, she washes and disinfects her hands and wiggles on her gloves Allura approaches her new patient with bated breath. His sheer size overwhelming her, he completely dwarfed her tiny body, to think working alongside of the Mamora she would’ve grown use to their immense size and stature. Afraid not...shaking her head she brings herself back to reality. 

“Get a grip, Allura” she murmurs to herself. First things first, the helmet's gotta go. 

Here goes nothing. 

It's all or nothing.

She steers around to the head of the examination table, his helmet cold to the touch even with the biodegradable gloves. She cautiously searches for the latch. It took a few minutes of fumbling, but she finds it, her stomach clenches as she presses down on them. It hisses low, and strangely ominous as if she were unlocking some sort dangerous truth. It pops and she slowly slides it off-her breath stills-

-to be greeted by a rather handsome face. A pretty face.

Angular in shape, aristocratic nose, chiseled jaw, long snowy hair, long pretty lashes. Instantly, he reminds her of one of her favorite storybooks, the one about the sleeping princess silent to the world as she slumbers centuries away. Only it's a prince, with tense brows, smooth lilac skin and a face smothered with painful-looking bruises. Upon inspection, they look fresh and swollen, he'll need some ointment to soothe the inflammation. Briefly, she applies the lightest of pressure, his lips tighten in response, teeth click together. However, she can’t figure how the bruises were inflicted. It didn’t look like he was punched or struck, or anything and the skin isn’t scraped or scratched. Did he hit something- 

The examination room door whirls open like a whip to the air.

“Princess!” the livid bark of Head Commander Hira has her reeling, her body jerking violently as the severe woman came crashing in unannounced with a cringing, sputtering Coran floundering behind her. 

“Hira, please calm yourself this is a hospital! People are resting here!” he hisses at her harshly, holding a finger to his lips.

She shoves him away in irritation “What have you’ve done this time!?” 

Allura frowns at the tone “I haven’t done anything other than rescue someone whose life was-is in danger” she replies defensively, folding her arms over chest. Hira's eyes flicker from her to the body of the man lying upon the table. At first nothing, a passive glance that quickly hardens, her thin lips pulling into a sneer.

“He’s galra!” she gestures at him, the disdain in her voice is not hard to miss.

“Wow, so you do have eyes, wanna medal?!"Allura mockingly rose both her brows and the pitch of her voice. She knew she's risking a smack, but she can't seem to help herself.

“If you have enough time to string together sarcastic quips you have enough sense in that head of yours to inform me about unauthorized passengers. Or has being knocked around in that lion of yours slapped the sanity out of you"

"I beg your pardon!?" 

“Ladies, please” Coran begs.

“Oh, hush Coran. You're not my heeler” 

“Afraid I don’t have a leash short enough to reel you in” the man mutters readjusting the buttons of his summer coat.

“Let me reiterate, Princess" the commander folds her arms behind her back "you have not only endangered the citizens aboard the ship, but yourself as well by dragging in, not just a galra, but a galra soldier on deck without considering safety procedures. I know it's in your nature to try and nurture those you deem less fortunate, but you cannot keep doing this"

Allura opens and closes her mouth before pressing them together in a tight line; Hira's in tip-top shape today. She didn't know whether she wants to break something over the woman's head or snap, petulant she knew, it's bad enough that Hira and everyone else treats as though she's a child, a dumb, stupid child that needs to be reprimanded and guided or else she'll end up getting her hand stuck in the proverbial cookie jar. But, she knew, she knew that throwing anything at her whether justified in frustration at the condescension would just be used against her, and pretty much proving their point. 

Breaking things. 

The urge to break burns under her skin along with the quake of her fists. Doing so would at least abate the rage, but Allura knew better, most times, giving into her base emotions isn't going to get her anywhere. Steeling away the instinct to inflame conflict she takes a calming breath and casts Hira a frigid stare.

"I'm not a child, I know that." She's only half-correct, she didn't wake up this morning expecting to rummage an injured man off an asteroid, as did most things, trouble usually came crashing through her door unannounced and most times unwelcomed.

Her cold gaze falls back to the Stranger, well, most times they come in uninvited. Maybe this time it might be different. 

In any case, she rebuffs Hira, ignoring her protests, 

"Enemy or not he’s in need of medical aid."

“I should have immediately been informed of this” 

"It's not like I wasn't going to" she argues.

"Really?" The woman arches a brow her face and stature impervious, impregnable and to imagine Freya's much worse that Hira could ever hope to be. But, the Valkyrie general is a concern for another day.

"Maybe-Okay!" She relents, throwing her hands up, her cold shell wavering in the heat of scrutiny "I forgot! Alright, I should have informed you, but it still doesn't mean you can't just barge into my examination room and talk down to me like a baby!" A second hangs and passes before the Head Commander, marginally, deflates. Her shoulders lower, her sneer less prominent and the harsh edge of her eyes soften. 

She still isn't happy.

"He'll need to be guarded. No, buts" 

"I've already summoned Lau" 

"Lau?" The displeasure snaps right back onto her face.

"Yes, Lau. She's more than capable" 

"Fine." Irritated the commander rubs the bridge of her nose in tandem "be stubborn if you will, but the moment the slightest thing goes wrong. This castle is under lockdown and he'll, whatever his name is, will be under my jurisdiction. Understood. Princess or not my duty first and foremost is your safety and the safety of Altean citizens. I will not go back on my oaths" 

"Right…"

"Also, I want all his belongings confiscated. They'll need to be investigated, I will not budge on the matter" 

"Very well" 

"Thank you for being cooperative for a change"

Oh, those were fighting words, back to the condescension again. Squeezing her lips together, Allura refrains, it's not a battle worth dying for.

_ 'Just let it go, Allura, just let it go' _

_ 'It's not worth it, it's not worth it' _

"Rrrrighhttt…." She breathes out trying to reign in her temper. Hira is none the wiser as the woman just bled condescension.

"I'm returning to my station-" she pauses scanning her face for a long, long minute "....and there is nothing else I need to know?" 

"Nope." 

"Hm. In any case, I'll take my leave" with a bow the commander dismisses herself, the clatter of her heels is like a funeral march beating in her ear.

"Coran?" She snaps her head in his direction.

The man made a face before frantically shaking his head "Don't look at me, Princess, I said not a thing! It was Nanny who blew the whistle." 

"Good grief…" she sighs. Truly, unbelievable.

"Nevermind" she pushes a strand behind her ear "As long as she doesn't put the Castle on totalitarian lockdown." Allura mutters under her breath "Coran, just make sure nothing else gets out. Issue a formal report that we have an Empire Soldier in Altean custody." 

"Can do, Princess" he salutes "anything else."

"Just keep it vague enough that people don't start causing a fuss" 

"This shall be done. No worries" he slips out the room leaving her to the silence. Which she appreciates, however she can't say the same for her pounding migraine. But, she'll worry about it later, returning back to her work. Luckily, the Stranger hardly stirs from his slumber. He's either in a coma or a pretty heavy sleeper; upon that thought, she gently checks his head to find an abrasion centered on the back of his skull. The hair there is tangled and crusted over with old blood, which is odd. The wound here is old while the bruises are fresh. 

Frowning, she moves to his side to check his pulse. He's cold to the touch as she presses her fingers to his throat; his pulse is steady but shallow. Allura leans over the table to put her ear to his chest; his heartbeat is the same, steady, but shallow. 

He might need a scan, she reaches over to unclasp his cape, the ornament that held it together is blank. She turns it over but nothing gave any hints about his identity. She places them aside to find her flashlight to check his eyes. 

Amethyst. His pupils dilate without fail. She checked his ears to find dried blood caked in them, and down his jaw. Strange enough, she didn't find any damage to his eardrums. Infection maybe, she scraped a few samples from both ears. 

Now the hard part came-just how did she get his armor off? She stood there albeit aimless as she eyes it with an arduous stare. Scanning him, her eyes fell upon his satchel. The one wrapped around his hip, the one she had forgotten about until this moment. Carefully, she's able to unlatch it. It barely weighs a thing and other than being woven out a material that she isn't quite sure is leather, there's nothing about it that's particularly fascinating, it looks like any old bag to her. 

Or maybe it's not the outside that matters, but the inside. Curious, she unbuckles it to discover-

A pencil used to the very nub. An eraser that's seen better days, a rusted canister, and a sketchbook….a leather-bound sketchbook. Placing the rest down, she flips the book around. Nothing's written on the surface or cover, so she pops it open-The the first page nearly punches the breath right out of her, a gorgeous detailed image of a botanical garden all captured in black and white. 

"...Amazing" seems her slumbering 'Prince' has some talent under his sleeves. She flips another page, the next being small in scale, various sketchings of planets, flowers, fruit, trees. They were no less impressive, but that isn't what starts to bug her, for whatever reason, there's an old familiarity about them that she can't quite place a finger on. She flips another page and here she finds renderings of people. 

A mother and child, some children playing in what she believes is a town square, men of various shapes and sizes, and an old woman by a well. 

She's absolutely gentle about turning the pages, but the next turn causes her to freeze. It- 

It can't be?

She blinks for a moment unsure, for a moment she believes she's seeing things, that her mind's playing tricks on her again. She blinks and blinks yet the image stays the same. 

There's no mistaken that sly smile. The white hair, the clothing, it's Honerva? One of Altea's greatest alchemists rendered so perfectly, so beautifully, drawn so...so real that Allura felt she could practically jump right out the page and transform into flesh and blood right there and then.

But- 

Why does this man-why did this man-how could he have drawn her? Honerva's dead, she's been gone for years now, so how? Allura places the book down to squint at him. 

"Just how old are you?" She leans over him, bracing all her weight on the table to loom and stare and stare until she realizes how futile the endeavor is "who am I kidding there's no way to know, not like this" she chides herself.

Just as she's about to pull away she sees his eyelids flicker, heard his claws clank against the table, she stills, pausing in her movements until she's met with amethyst again; only this time she's not prying his eyes open.

They open themselves, wide, dilated and centered completely on her.

"Eh….Hello?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? Comments and Reviews welcomed!


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